Arkansas' duo of Felix Jones and Darren McFadden electrified Fayetteville for years. The junior tandem is taking the act to the NFL and not everyone is convinced Jones won't go from super backup to superstar.

Jones proved to be one of the best outside rushers in the SEC, but also has excelled as a kickoff returner. His average of 28.21 yards per kickoff return ranks ninth in NCAA Bowl Subdivision annals.

Known for his big-play ability, Jones' average yards per carry of 7.66 yards would be one for the college football all-time record books, if not for Glenn Davis of Army averaging 8.26 yards (358 attempts, 2,957 yards, 1943-46). Since Davis, the only players to average over seven yards per carry (minimum 350 attempts) were Mike Rozier of Nebraska (7.16-yard average on 688 runs for 4,780 yards, 1981-83) and Reggie Bush of Southern California (7.32-yard average on 433 carries for 3,169 yards, 2003-05).

The Razorbacks' tandem of McFadden (1,830) and Jones (1,162) amassed 2,992 yards on the ground in 2007. The only other tandems to gain more yardage in a season in NCAA annals were Barry Sanders (2,628) and Gerald Hudson (369) combining for 2,997 yards for Oklahoma State in 1988 and Reggie Bush (1,740) and LenDale White (1,302) combining for an NCAA record 3,042 yards for Southern California in 2005.

In the history of college football, having two players from the same team rush for over 1,000 yards each in the same season has been accomplished 41 times. McFadden and Jones (2006-07) and West Virginia's Steve Slaton and Patrick White (2006-07) joined Marion Barber III and Lawrence Maroney of Minnesota (2003-04) as the only duos to accomplish that feat more than once in a career over the last 30 years.

Jones enrolled at Arkansas in 2005, after he originally signed a letter of intent to attend Oklahoma State. He also turned down scholarship offers from Tennessee, Texas A&M, Kansas, Louisiana State and Nebraska. He became the first true freshman in school history to earn first-team All-American honors (as a kickoff returner), when College Football News named him to its postseason team.

He ranked second in the nation with a 31.94-yard average on 17 kickoff returns for 543 yards and a touchdown. He caught eight passes for 100 yards and gained 11 yards on a punt return. As a tailback, he started two of 11 games, totaling 626 yards with three scores on 99 carries (6.3-yard average), ranking second on the team. He also became only the second freshman in school history to run for over 100 yards twice in a game.

Jones garnered All-American honorable mention and All-Southeastern Conference first-team recognition as a sophomore. He started six of 14 games, amassing 1,829 all-purpose yards, the third-best total in the league. He also ranked second in the SEC with 154 carries for 1,168 yards (7.6-yard average) and six touchdowns. He also caught 15 passes for 107 yards (7.1 avg) and three scores. He ranked third in the conference with 23 kickoff returns for 554 yards (24.1 avg) and a touchdown in 2006.

Jones was a consensus All-American and All-SEC first-team selection as a kickoff returner, adding Associated Press third-team national honors as an all-purpose back in 2007. He started just three of 13 games, but gained 1,162 yards with 11 touchdowns on 133 carries, as his average of 8.7 yards per attempt set an SEC single-season. He made 16 catches for 176 yards (11-yard average) and ranked fourth in the nation with 652 yards and two scores on 22 kickoff returns (29.64 avg). He also finished 22nd in the country with 1,990 all-purpose yards, an average of 153.08 yards per game.

With a new coaching staff in place at Arkansas, Jones decided it was best that he follow McFadden. Both Razorbacks decided to enter the 2008 NFL Draft.

"In the past few weeks I have taken time to consider my football future, and what was the best opportunity for me and my family," Jones said. "My decision has not been an easy one as I have tried to balance my love for this university, this state and the Razor-backs vs. my desire to play in the NFL. Growing up, I dreamed of playing football on Sundays. After considering all of the factors, I am confident that my decision to forgo my senior season to enter the NFL Draft is the right decision. My three years at Arkansas have been some of the bet years of my life."

Jones closed out his career with 2,956 yards and 20 touchdowns on 386 carries, shattering school and SEC career records by averaging 7.66 yards per rushing attempt, as he started 11 of 38 games he appeared in. He also caught 39 passes for 383 yards (9.8-yard average) and three scores. He added an 11-yard punt return and tallied 164 points.

Jones ranks ninth in NCAA history with school and SEC all-time records, averaging 28.21 yards on 62 kickoff returns for 1,749 yards and four touchdowns. He joined Darren McFadden (5,881) as the only players in school history to gain over 5,000 all-purpose yards (5,099) in a career.
Analysis

Positives: Has a lean frame, but shows good muscle development and bubble, well-defined thighs and calves, large hands, wide back and room to carry at least another 10 pounds of bulk with no loss of quickness &#8230; Has excellent quickness and explosion coming out of his stance into the rush lanes &#8230; Demonstrates the feet and balance to pick his way through trash and stay upright after initial contact &#8230; Has pick-and-slide agility to make tacklers miss, especially when he turns the corner &#8230; Plays with good toughness and competitiveness, as he will lower his head and square his shoulders to drive through after contact &#8230; Not really a punishing runner, but easily bounces off tackles and gives second effort when the rush lane is clogged &#8230; Self-starter and hard worker in the training room and will put in extra time watching film &#8230; Mature with good field intelligence and vision &#8230; Has a good attitude, as he never complained about sharing the rush load, despite his obvious pedigree &#8230; Has the sudden moves out of his stance to gain advantage and the quickness to avoid and accelerate past defenders &#8230; Shows a natural feel for the crease and displays excellent vision and hip swerve as he weaves through traffic, picking his feet nicely over trash &#8230; Hits the hole with no hesitation, showing the explosive leg drive to break arm tackles, as he works hard to get upfield inside and clear the line of scrimmage &#8230; Has a low center of gravity, which allows him to keep his base moving through tight areas and does not need to gear down when cutting &#8230; Instinctive in his movements, displaying the vision to see threats &#8230; Uses his blocks well &#8230; When he keeps his pad level low going through the rush lane, he has the short-area explosion and juke moves to elude defenders turning the corner, as he excels at cutting sharply with good acceleration &#8230; Has the body control and foot agility to step and slide on his way to avoid tackles &#8230; Has made strides in being more patient to let his blocks develop, showing a good feel for the hole and vision to spot the seam in the zone &#8230; Can find the inside hole but will run a little upright doing this and he knows how to adjust on the move, using impressive pick, slide and acceleration through the holes &#8230; Has the balance needed to keep his feet and shows a sharp burst out of his cuts &#8230; Has outstanding lateral range to gain yards in chunks on outside runs, utilizing excellent change-of-direction agility to can freeze defenders with fakes and body lean &#8230; As a junior, he displayed much better ball security and the hands to handle pitchouts (had problems grabbing the ball on the fly and running with it in 2006, resulting in five fumbles, compared to one in 2007) &#8230; Has improved his patience waiting for the toss to develop before trying to burst through the seam or turn the corner &#8230; One of his better assets is his ability to accelerate into the second level, redirect and break away for the long run &#8230; Very fast-twitched runner when attacking the hole and, while he might go down on first contact at times, he has that vision to locate small seams, sink his pads and try to slip past &#8230; Has the ability to jump-cut and shoot upfield &#8230; Has a very good feel to anticipate where the rushing lanes are and does a good job of keeping his pad level to break arm tackles around the corner (not as effective running inside) &#8230; Adequate pass catcher who shows good concentration and flexibility in his pass routes, extending his hands properly away from the framework, but will use his body as a crutch when working in a crowd &#8230; Makes good body adjustments toward the ball and shows patience, body control and vision waiting for blocks to develop as a returner &#8230; Best asset as a kickoff returner is that he creative enough to vary his speed, set up the defender, execute a fake and then accelerate into the open.

Negatives: Has to learn to run at a lower pad level when running through the inside holes &#8230; Will get erect in his stance as an attempt to squeeze through tight areas &#8230; Has good leg drive, but will make bigger gains when trying to avoid, as he is generally brought down on the initial hit when operating in a crowd &#8230; He had just 22 runs on which the opposition needed more than one defender to take him down on 133 attempts in 2007 &#8230; Elusive runner who does a good job of squaring up before initial contact, but must improve his body lean, as he does not do a good job of falling forward &#8230; Pitter-patter running style will see him get up on his toes &#8230; Just an adequate receiver who needs route-running refinement, as he tends to round his cuts &#8230; While he shows good hands on returns, as a receiver, he does not get to the ball at its highest point and can get a little sloppy trying to explode out of his breaks &#8230; Despite showing aggression as a blocker, his size prevents him from gaining leverage vs. bigger defenders (will get a piece of his man, but his weight-room strength fails to translate to the field, as he is not the type that can overpower second-level defenders).

Compares To: CARNELL WILLIAMS-Tampa Bay &#8230; Both are best taking the ball outside. Jones is a water bug on the field, excelling at avoiding defenders when he clears the line of scrimmage. He has a Devin Hester-type of burst as a kickoff returner and has worked well within the two-back system. Team him up with a powerful inside runner and you will get better value. We doubt his frame can handle pounding associated with touching the ball 30 times a game at the next level, especially if he doesn't learn how to run at a lower pad level between the tackles. He greatly improved his ball-security ability as a junior, something that turned out to be a major problem for his running mate, Darren McFadden. Some teams might prefer Jones over McFadden, as he has greater avoidance skills, while McFadden is more likely to seek contact and has a few off-field issues to be investigated.

Official Bio

Strengths:
Excellent speed and quickness...Explosive with a terrific burst...Elusive in the open field...Good feet...Nice balance and change of direction skills...Great vision...Terrific hands as a receiver and runs good routes...A legit big play threat who can take it the distance...Good production...Team player with good intangibles...There isn't a lot of wear and tear on his body....Versatile and also an outstanding kick returner.

Weaknesses:
Never carried the load in college...Size and bulk are just average...Not very strong or powerful...Doesn't break a lot of tackles or pick up many yards after contact...A sub par blocker...Needs to show more patience...Won't do much damage between the tackles...His upside could be limited to a change of pace role at the next level.

Notes:
Combined with Darren McFadden to form the premier running back tandem in the nation...Earned All-American honors as a kick returner...Finished with the second best career yards per carry average (7.6) in NCAA history behind only Glenn Davis of Army (8.26)...A multi-dimensional weapon...Probably won't ever be a workhorse in the NFL but could excel in a role similar to the one he played with the Hogs....If everything clicks just right he could be a Brian Westbrook-type but he is probably more of a poor-man's Reggie Bush..Looks like a late 1st or early 2nd round talent.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------1st round pick #25... Dallas trades picks #28, #163 and #235 to Seattle.
Mike Jenkins CB SFU

Jenkins' combination of size and speed has made him one of the country's most respected collegiate cornerbacks. He'll need to be drafted into a system that takes advantage of his size and physicality to enjoy as much success at the NFL level. Jenkins doesn't do any one thing exceedingly well, but is considered a bit of a jack-of-all-trades with NFL scouts. He uses his hands well at the line of scrimmage and has rare straight line speed. He struggles some in his transition, as he lacks the smooth hip turn of elite man coverage corners, but is rarely tested at this level. Despite the physicality he shows in coverage, Jenkins isn't particularly strong in run support. He reads the action well enough, but is more than willing to let others make the play. When he has to, however, Jenkins is a reliable enough open-field tackler due to his athleticism. Jenkins, a 28-game starter over his first three seasons with the Bulls, has seen the vast majority of his time at cornerback, but had some spot duty at safety as a freshman.
Analysis

Positives: Rare combination of size and speed for the position. &#8230; Adequate change of direction when running with receivers. &#8230; Uses his hands well to disrupt the receiver's routes and to deflect passes as they come. &#8230; Consistently in position to make the play. &#8230; Has a second gear when the ball is in the air and flashes the body control and competitiveness to intercept the ball. &#8230; Durable. &#8230; Hasn't missed a game over his career due to injury. &#8230; Well-built athlete with the size, intelligence and experience to handle the transition to safety.

Negatives: Doesn't do any one aspect of the game exceedingly well. &#8230; Good straight-line speed, but is a bit tight in the hips and loses a step in transition. &#8230; Good use of his hands to jam the receiver at the line, but lacks physicality and urgency in run support. &#8230; Gets his hands on a lot of balls (29 PBUs), but only has three career interceptions entering 2007. &#8230; Character red-flag after being arrested in March of 2007 following a fight outside a bar.

Strengths:
Has very good size and bulk with long arms...A great athlete...Good timed speed and acceleration with a burst to close...Physical...Natural cover skills...Is versatile with experience at both corner and safety..Smooth with fluid hips and nice change of direction...Breaks on the ball quickly...Also offers some special teams potential.

Weaknesses:
Is not great in run support...Not overly instinctive...Pretty inconsistent...Has some character questions...Footwork and technique are shaky...Lacks superb ball skills and awareness...Toughness may be an issue...Might be a bit of a CB / S 'tweener.

Positives: Has a well-built frame with good upper-body muscle tone, tight waist and hips and good lower-body thickness...His best asset is his press coverage skill, as he has had good success in impeding the receiver's route progression...Hard worker in the training room and on the practice field, as he is more of a quiet leader-by-example type, but spends lots of his time mentoring the younger players and is a potential coaching candidate in the future...With his press ability and speed closing on plays in front of him, he could bring more value as a free safety (has Brian Dawkins-type qualities), as he does have experience at that position from his high school days and as a freshman at USF...Times his leaps well and has that long reach to get over and around the receiver to deflect the pass when in the trail position (does get a bit reckless, leading to pass interference calls)...Has adequate balance and body control going after off-target tosses...Is a little tight in his hips, but he has that explosive second gear to recover and the leaping ability to battle the taller receivers in jump-ball situations...Good special-teams performer who shows patience letting his protection set up and the burst through the seams to take the ball long distances...Is sometimes late to turn on the ball, but he has the quick feet and exceptional burst to recover...Lock-down cornerback who can generate strong hand swipes in attempts to reroute...Even with his hip stiffness, he has good acceleration and turnover on his breaks and, when he keeps good position on his man, he does a good job taking angles to cut off the play...Gets high on his heels in his backpedal, but does not stay in it for long...Not the quickest at recognizing routes, but when he does, he shows good urgency to close (much better awareness vs. plays in front of him)...It doesn't always translate on the field, but he does have the timed speed to make plays at the opposite end of the field...When he gets into proper position, he can defend vs. the pass, as he gets very good elevation to reach and deflect the throw at its highest point...Likes to tackle to the side rather than squaring up, but he has the functional strength to impact vs. smaller opponents.

Negatives: Needs to show better anticipation skills, as he does a good job of handling the receiver but eyes the backfield too long and bites on misdirection and pump fakes...Has very good timed speed, but needs to generate looser hips, as he looks tight in that region when trying to transition...Has just adequate change-of-direction agility and does not always explode out of his turns to get on the hip and mirror the receiver...Might be a better fit for free safety, due to his good closing burst vs. plays in front of him. His adequate athletic ability makes him appear a bit slow when trying to break on the ball in flight...Lacks natural hands and good arm extension to pluck the ball at its highest point, as he had more than a few pass deflections that should be interceptions...Shows some hesitation breaking on the ball and lacks that natural feel to get a good break on the ball and anticipate routes...His best asset is his ability to press and reroute the receivers at the line, but as aggressive as he is with the pass catcher, he does not like coming up in run support, preferring that others make the tackle in tight areas...Must improve his upper-body strength, as he lacks pop on contact and is not really a solid wrap-up tackler (more of a collision-type tackler and ballcarriers can escape when he takes a side...Tends to sit back and wait for the play to come to him rather than get in an opponent's face and initiate contact...Must learn to keep his pad level down more often, as he gets too erect in his backpedal and when his base narrows, he fails to get a clean break out of transition...Has to develop a better feel for the ball in flight, as it is rare to see him jump many patterns...Has the second gear to recover when beaten, but if he would open his hips quicker, receivers won't be able to gobble up his cushion as much as they do...Has to develop better hand placement, as he has run into trouble with pass interference penalties (had a string of at least one penalty in five of six midseason games in 2007)...Has the functional strength to get the ballcarrier down, but must show more aggression and force behind his tackles... Has a bit of a hop in his footwork that needs to be corrected...Perhaps due to adequate ball recognition skills, he doesn't take good angles to close in run support and must keep his hands inside his frame or he struggles to shed blocks when asked to plug the rush lanes...Has one off-field issue, but the coaching staff vouches for his good character and work ethic...Considering his senior season was not a dominant one, he made what might be a costly decision by refusing to attend the Senior Bowl at the last moment.

Compares To: CARLOS ROGERS-Washington...Like Rogers, there is no questioning Jenkins' speed -- he can stay with any receiver on deep routes. However, like Rogers, he is not a good tackler and tends to shy away from lending run support. Jenkins has some hip stiffness that is evident in transition and marginal hands to make the interception. He will bite on pump fakes and doesn't have great ball anticipation skills. He might be a better fit at free safety, as his best assets are his quickness, making plays in front of him and generating a good press. Quite a few publications list him as the best cornerback prospect for the 2008 NFL Draft. If he is indeed the best, NFL receivers could be salivating. He is a fine athlete, but isn't ready to star at the next level.

Positives: Has a tall, thick frame with a V-shaped torso, long limbs, large hands, big bubble, wide hips, thick thighs and calves and room to carry more bulk without impacting his overall quickness...Uses his hands with force to escape press coverage and shows excellent boundary awareness...Has adequate speed, but runs with a normal stride (needs to stay in his patterns tighter) and is best when used on the move, whether coming off the line or working in the slot...Not a sudden mover, but has adequate change-of-direction agility for his position...Likes to block and plays with good aggression...Will not hesitate to go vertical and compete for the off-target throws...Works hard to sustain his blocks and plays with consistent effort...Does well in school and has no problem taking plays from the chalkboard to the playing field...Does not show suddenness getting into his routes, but moves his feet to sustain and gains advantage to hook a "nine" technique...Has the strength to power through the hold up and avoids under-coverage on the route stem...Can swim over or fight through the jam with force...Raw pattern runner who needs more reps, but has good awareness to zone coverage...Finds his marks and gets his head turned around in time to look the ball in, but will round and gather his cuts...Has the hand strength and physical nature to get off the press and settle underneath on short routes, knowing that he presents the quarterback with a big target on the move...Makes proper body adjustments extending his arms to haul in the high pass...Shows intent as a blocker and has the base to effectively hold his ground at the point of attack (will get walked back when he gets too upright in his stance, though)...Will get into trouble when he body catches, but he has the reach and extension to get to the ball with hands properly extended...While he lacks suddenness, he shows good body lean and weight transfer that allows him to snap off his breaks and separate...Physical receiver with the raw power to fight the defender for the ball (will sometimes lose concentration, as he can be distracted by the sounds of a defender's feet)...Runs over the middle with authority and shows the flexibility in his hands and arms extending to catch outside of the framework...Lacks a burst heading upfield, but has the strength to power through tackles (runs hard, but is not a burner)...Shows good positioning blocking on the edge, as he is adept in sliding his feet back and moving laterally to pick up the blitz....When he keeps his pad level down, he is much more efficient generating a strong hand punch, but must remain patient, as he tends to overextend on reach blocks...Good stalker for cut blocks at the second level, showing intent to punish the linebackers...Active with his feet in attempts to leverage when blocking on the move.

Negatives: Needs route refinement, as he takes soft-angle cuts too often and will drift quite a bit when having to go long distances...Needs to show more explosion coming out of his stance and accelerate quicker in the open field, as he does not always live up to his timed speed...Showed improvement extending for the ball outside his frame as a senior, but he will revert to body catching and drops too many...Must be more alert to second-level defenders as he is prone to running into spots rather than trying to find the soft areas to settle under...Much more effective on hooks and curls, as he does not show the suddenness or hip wiggle to elude after the catch...Because of his size, he tends to get a little upright in his stance, which allows defenders to get their hands into his chest...Needs to stand more flat-footed coming off the snap to maintain balance and leg drive when pulling....While he shows good intent as a blocker, he needs to show better angle awareness, as he will fall off blocks and overextends...Looks mechanical in his routes, lacking fluid moves...Needs to concentrate every snap and had multiple false-start penalties.

Compares To: KEVIN BOSS-New York Giants...Like Boss, Bennett is a rare-sized tight end whose basketball experience allows him to get to passes most shorter tight ends cannot. He is a more consistent blocker than Boss, but will lose balance and overextend when he can't sink his pads to anchor. He has the long reach to haul in the pass at its high point, but despite good timed speed, he is a marginal route runner who will take unneeded steps in his route progression. Still, based on the talent here, he is the most "complete" tight end in the 2008 draft class.

Tashard Choice proved to be the unquestioned leader of the Georgia Tech offense and one of the toughest players in college football.

Well on his way to another banner campaign in 2007, he suffered a right knee injury on Oct. 20 vs. Army and underwent surgery three days later. After sitting out the Virginia Tech game, Choice was back on the field, recording a trio of 100-yard performances over his final four contests.

Choice led the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing in 2006 and '07 seasons, becoming the first player to accomplish that feat since Thomas Jones of Virginia (1998-99). He also became the first Tech player to produce back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing campaigns, totaling 1,473 yards as a junior and 1,379 yards in his final season.

The talented running back finished his career as the school's record-holder with 18 100-yard rushing performances. He ranks third in Tech annals with 28 touchdowns on the ground and fourth with 3,465 yards rushing. His 3,646 all-purpose yards rank seventh in Yellow Jacket annals.

Choice's stellar career at Lovejoy High School led to the school retiring his jersey. He was a first-team All-State pick and rated the 14th-best player in the state of Georgia by Super Prep. He also ranked as the 22nd-best running back in the nation by Rivals.com. He rushed for 1,200 yards on 129 carries as a senior and also had 600 yards receiving while scoring 17 touchdowns.

The tailback enrolled at the University of Oklahoma in 2003, spending the season performing on the scout team. He played in eight games behind All-American Adrian Peterson in 2004, gaining 100 yards on 22 carries (wore jersey #2 for the Sooners), as he earned Academic All-Big Twelve Conference honors.

Sensing the continuation of a limited role behind Peterson, Choice was granted his scholarship release, transferring from Oklahoma to Georgia Tech in 2005, where his cousin, Joe Burns (ex-Buffalo Bills) was a standout tailback for the Yellow Jackets (1998-2001). He played behind P.J. Daniels that season, garnering Academic All-Atlantic Coast Conference accolades. He totaled 513 yards with six touchdowns on 117 attempts (4.4-yard average), as he also made 14 catches for 76 yards (5.4 avg).

Despite leading the conference and ranking 13th in the nation in rushing, Choice was only a second-team All-ACC pick in 2006, as he took over tailback chores. He was again named Academic All-ACC, powering his way for a career-high 1,473 yards on 297 rushes (5.0-yard average) with 12 touchdowns. His 1,473 yards rank second on the school's season rushing list. He also gained 98 yards on 12 catches, totaling 1,571 all-purpose yards as a junior.

The league coaches acknowledged Choice with a first-team All-ACC berth in 2007. Despite missing one game and a half of another, he still led the league in rushing, picking up 1,379 yards with 10 scores on 261 attempts (5.3-yard average). He snared 14 passes for 107 yards and also completed a 17-yard pass for a touchdown. His 1,486 all-purpose yards placed him sixth on the ACC leader boards.

In 38 games at Georgia Tech, Choice started 27 contests. He rushed 675 times for 3,365 yards (5.0-yard average) and 28 touchdowns, adding 281 yards on 40 receptions (7.0 avg). He hit on his only pass attempt for a 17-yard touchdown, recorded two solo tackles and scored 168 points while amassing 3,646 all-purpose yards.

Positives: Has a thick, strong lower body, but needs additional development in his upper body and will need to put in extra hours in the weight room adding bulk and getting stronger to compete at the next level &#8230; Meat-and-potatoes type of downhill runner who might lack the strength to consistently move the pile, but gets by on instincts, feel for pressure and patience following his blocks past the line of scrimmage &#8230; Has a quick initial step to scoot past slower defenders and keeps his pads down in order to slip through tight areas &#8230; Has very good leadership qualities and no known off-field issues &#8230; Smart player with a good feel for blocking schemes and shows the vision to pick and slide through the rush lanes &#8230; Very creative on the move, but lacks the second gear to separate past the second level &#8230; Shows good urgency getting through the hole, but lacks that same burst when attacking the edge to cut upfield &#8230; Has the foot quickness and balance, along with good body lean, to fall forward for extra yardage &#8230; Picks up yards on the move due to his feel for the crease and vision to locate tacklers &#8230; Patient runner with the ability to lift his feet and drop his pads to pick and slide between the tackles &#8230; Might lack the strength to move the pile, but is a tough runner who won't go down without a fight (keeps his feet moving after initial contact) &#8230; Adequate in attempts to plant and cut upfield, but has the balance to bounce away from tacklers &#8230; Has a quick initial burst, but won't sustain it for long (more of a one-cut, one-speed runner) &#8230; Seems to protect the ball better when he has room to operate rather than in tight quarters &#8230; Better as a cut blocker than when working on the line, as he has a good concept for taking angles, staying in control while attacking the linebackers &#8230; Has enough hand punch to stall the pass rusher (but not for long).

Negatives: Has a compact frame, but lacks ideal muscle development &#8230; More of a one-cut runner who lacks flashy moves in attempts to elude (prefers to power through blocks, leading to his rash of injuries) &#8230; Tough athlete, but has had right knee, left knee, left hamstring and right shoulder problems (most come from his preference to gain tough yardage up the middle of the field) &#8230; Lacks elusiveness when getting into the second level &#8230; Does not show great change-of-direction agility or hip wiggle when trying to redirect to the cutback lane &#8230; Not really a powerful runner, but prefers that style, even though it is evident that he does not have the raw strength to move the pile &#8230; Not the type that can consistently run through or break tackles &#8230; Shows just a marginal burst when attempting to turn the corner (better running between the tackles) &#8230; Fumbling is not much of a problem, but will put the ball on the ground when defenders attack it (needs to do a better job of distributing the ball away from the defenders) &#8230; Marginal route runner with poor route-recognition ability &#8230; Not thrown the ball much and absorbs it into his body rather than extending for it &#8230; Willing blocker, but lacks the power or strength to explode behind his hits during initial contact &#8230; Defenders have good success slipping past his blocks at the line, as he tends to duck his head, overextend and leave his feet rather than anchor and show proper hand placement.

Compares To: MARCEL SHIPP-Arizona &#8230; Like Shipp, Choice is an effective downhill runner, but not a physical one who can consistently push the pile. He has good suddenness out of his stance and a good feel for the rush lanes, showing good patience following his blockers. He can pick and slide inside, but is more of a north-south runner with adequate change of direction and marginal hip wiggle to elude turning the corner. He is a liability as a receiver due to marginal hands, poor extension and limited experience or a good feel for running routes. Still, he manages to get good yardage up the middle, but his deficiencies are glaring enough to keep him out of the draft's first day.

Orlando Scandrick opted to skip his senior year and enter the NFL draft. He's an unfamiliar name to some, but pro scouts are fully aware of Scandrick's ability.

Scandrick capably claimed the leadership role in a very young secondary after the graduation of Gerald Alexander (Detroit). With the junior left cornerback calling the defensive signals in the backfield, Boise State improved its pass defense from 45th in 2006 to rank 26th nationally in 2007.

At Los Alamitos High School, Scandrick was an all-around player, competing as a wide receiver and defensive back, in addition to returning kicks. He was named to the first-team Long Beach Dream Team, first-team All-Sunset League, and Prep Star 2004 All-American team. He was also a member of the Cal Top 100 squad selected by Rivals.com.

As a senior, Scandrick caught 52 passes for 832 yards and 12 touchdowns. On defense, he recorded 54 tackles and three interceptions that season. He also returned 22 kickoffs for 1,024 yards (league record 46.5 yards per return) and one touchdown.

Scandrick enrolled at Boise State in February 2005, in time to compete in spring drills. He was heavily pursued by Colorado State, Oregon, Washington State, Wyoming, Fresno State and Nevada, but felt that BSU offered him a better opportunity to start. He earned Freshman All-American honors, starting 12 games at right cornerback. He totaled 50 tackles (41 solo) with a sack and three stops for losses. He broke up 11 passes and scored on a 50-yard interception return. He also blocked two kicks vs. Hawaii, returning a blocked field goal for a touchdown.

In 2006, Scandrick switched jerseys from No. 16 to No. 8 while also switching from left cornerback to the right side, as Gerald Alexander moved to free safety. He finished fourth on the team with 52 tackles (32 solo), adding two stops, six stops for losses and a pair of forced fumbles. He deflected six passes, picked off another and blocked an extra point try that he returned for a defensive score.

As a junior, Scandrick started all 13 games at left cornerback. He produced 50 tackles (36 solos) with three stops behind the line of scrimmage and caused two fumbles. He had two interceptions and seven pass break-ups. He gained 54 yards on two punt returns and 78 yards on four kickoff returns (19.5-yard average). He also set a school record with four blocked kicks.

Scandrick started 38 of 39 games he played in at Boise State. He recorded 152 tackles (109 solo) with 3 &#189; sacks for minus-24 yards and 12 &#189; stops for losses of 70 yards. He caused five fumbles and recovered another for a score. He deflected 24 passes and gained 117 yards on four interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown. He blocked seven kicks, returned four punts for 78 yards (19.5-yard average), had two blocked punt returns for 54 yards and recovered a blocked extra point try for a defensive score.
Analysis

Positives: Has a lean, angular build with room on his frame to carry more weight without it impacting his impressive timed speed &#8230; More fast than quick, but shows the loose hips to run stride-for-stride with the receiver (when he gets too high in his pedal, he takes extra steps and lacks explosion) &#8230; Has very good body control attacking the ball at its high point, making him one of the better kick blockers in the draft &#8230; Late to react to the pass in the deep secondary, but is more comfortable and alert taking on action in the box than most cornerbacks (12 &#189; stops behind the line of scrimmage) &#8230; Better when he shuffles his feet in his backpedal than when he gets too tall in his stance &#8230; Has the ability to jump on the hip and run with the receiver coming off the line (problems occur when he has to turn out of breaks) &#8230; Breaks quickly on the play when asked to take on the ballcarrier (has better closing urgency vs. the run than the pass) &#8230; Likes to come up and support vs. the run, avoiding blocks when attempting to disrupt the pocket &#8230; Takes good angles to close vs. the run, but needs to get stronger in order to have better success playing off blocks &#8230; Quick to arrive when asked to fill the rush lanes and has a knack for getting low &#8230; Times his leaps well, using his long arm extension to reach around and deflect the ball away before the receiver can adjust..His explosive leaping ability contributed to him blocking seven kicks during his career &#8230; Even though he needs to refine his backpedal, his loose hips help him recover when he takes false steps in transition &#8230; Has excellent range, but just needs to show that sudden closing burst more often (lacks urgency at times) &#8230; When he locates the ball, he is quick to close &#8230; Lacks an ideal feel for routes, but takes good angles when closing &#8230; Has the speed to close and make plays near the line &#8230; When he doesn't bite on pump fakes and keeps his assignments, he shows the acceleration to catch up and defend in the deep zone &#8230; As a junior, he was more efficient as a zone defender, making proper switch-offs &#8230; Adequate cut tackler when he stays low in his pads &#8230; Has the open-field quickness, fluid agility and excellent hip swerve to recover when beaten on long routes (needs to explode out of his breaks better) &#8230; Shows better stop-and-go action on short and intermediate routes than he does in the deep third of the field &#8230; Not afraid to jump and extend for the ball in tight quarters.

Negatives: Needs to upgrade his overall strength and physical receivers have had success pushing off him (struggles to reroute bigger opponents in press coverage) &#8230; Has very good timed speed, but he lacks explosion and suddenness coming out of his breaks or when redirecting (takes extra steps) &#8230; Looks awkward in transition when he gets too high in his backpedal &#8230; Is slippery when avoiding blocks in backside pursuit, but if blockers gets into his jersey, he is easily washed out &#8230; Does not have the upper-body strength or hand jolt to disengage &#8230; Will ankle-bite or take a side when tackling and needs to do a better job of facing up and breaking down taking on ballcarriers along the perimeter &#8230; Perhaps due to his rolling start, he does not close with great urgency, especially on plays in front of him &#8230; Gets a lot more pass deflections than pass thefts due to marginal hands (traps the ball or lets it into his body rather than reaching and plucking for it), but has the timing and leaping ability to compete for jump balls or to elevate when attempting to block kicks &#8230; Struggles with route recognition and, when he gets back in the zone, he will eyeball the pocket too long or bite on pump fakes &#8230; Must not allow so much cushion, as his lack of explosion out of his breaks can make him a step slow in recovering when a receiver gets behind him.

Compares To: ERIC WRIGHT-Cleveland &#8230; Scandrick is not the most physical cornerback, but he brings instant value in the sub package as a nickel back due to his short-area coverage skills, and on special teams, where he excels as a kick blocker. He needs to show more urgency in his play and despite his timed speed, he fails to show the explosive burst coming out of his high backpedal to stay tight with the receiver. He needs patient coaching to help him develop, as his instincts seem to be lacking, despite three years as a starter. His speed is unquestioned, along with his elevation skills, and he could be drafted earlier than his marginal strength and adequate man-coverage skills merit.

2007: Voted a first team All-Sun Belt selection by the league's coaches and media ... Played in 10 games and earned nine starts ... Had 46 stops on the season to go along with 8.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, two pass breakups, and a safety ... Played 603 total snaps ... Named to Rotary Lombardi Watch List in March ... Had three sacks in the Blue-White game ... Voted preseason all-SBC ... Registered four tackles, including one for lost yardage against FAU ... Had two tackles at Louisville and LSU ... Added six stops, including two for lost yardage and a forced fumble against WKU ... Did not play against FIU or UVA due to a toe injury ... Played 48 snaps in his return against Memphis but did not have a tackle ... Had one stop in win over ASU ... Enjoyed a monster game at North Texas with three tackles for loss, a sack, his first career interception, and a safety ... Had a career-high 12 tackles, including two for loss of yards at ULM ... Registered a personal-best 11 solo tackles against ULL ... Had three tackles and a pass breakup at Troy.

The Cowboys organization worked together and had a great draft. We got two outstanding RBs, 2 CBs better than the ones we lost to FA (not including PacMan), a bit of a project at TE (with huge upside) and all of them will contribute to special teams. Sign 'em so they can get to work.

The Cowboys organization worked together and had a great draft. We got two outstanding RBs, 2 CBs better than the ones we lost to FA (not including PacMan), a bit of a project at TE (with huge upside) and all of them will contribute to special teams. Sign 'em so they can get to work.